Internationalization Strategies

1. COURSE JUSTIFICATION
The globalization phenomenon calls for the internationalization of Colombian
companies in order to keep up with fierce competition arising from the participation of
international players in local markets. In order for these companies to succeed,
international business professionals with deep knowledge about internationalization
strategies are required.
The internationalization strategies course aims at developing such professionals by
using a combination of key concepts and case studies that will allow students to merge
theory and practice, and most importantly, to adopt a critical perspective that enables
continuous learning.

2. GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE
General Objective
To analyze and to understand the main strategies to be used in the internationalization
process of organizations in order to be able to make strategic decisions when
considering the case of specific organizations.
Specific Objectives
• To understand the globalization process as the scenario in which
internationalization processes take place.
• To analyze the internationalization process of some Colombian organizations.
• To study the main foreign operations methods available to an organization for
the internationalization process.
• To analyze from a critical perspective the internationalization experience of
some organizations.

II. Introduction
Introduction to the course structure, academic program and assessment methods.
Specific objectives:
• To justify the importance of the study of internationalization process for
organizations.
• To introduce the program, as well as the teaching and assessment strategies to
be used in the course.
• To introduce the methodologies to be used in the course.
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture.
• Class discussion.
Bibliographical references:
How to Analyze a Case Study – Hands-on Guide. 2009. Pearson Education Inc..
Available at:
http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_laudon_mis_10/62/15948/4082759.cw/index.html.
III. The context facing Multinational Firms
To understand the environment and different contexts that the multinational companies
must face when doing business in different countries and to understand globalization
as the phenomenon shaping the scenario in which organizations perform today and a
strategic reason for those organizations to undertake international operations.
Specific objectives:
• To define the key concepts relating to Globalization.
• To reflect about the implications that globalization brings to organizations when
considering international operations.
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
•
• Debate: implications of globalization for the internationalization process of
organizations.
Bibliographical references:
• COLLIS, David. International Strategy: Context, Concepts and Implications.
Wiley Ed. 2014. Chapter 1.
• Fabio Musso Barbara Francioni , (2014),"International strategy for SMEs:
criteria for foreign markets and entry modes selection", Journal of Small
Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 21 Iss 2 pp. 301 – 312
• LEVITT, Ted. (1983) “Globalization of Markets” Harvard Business review.pp
92-102
IV. Why do companies go international? The concept of International Strategy
To analyze the causes of internationalization of organizations and the strategic
factors involved.
Specific objectives
• To understand how forms develop their international competitive advantage
• To understand how companies engaged in international business configure
themselves.
• To clarify what is distinctively international about international strategy
• To study what are the differences in international competition
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
• Class Discussion
• Workshop
Bibliographical references:
• COLLIS, David. International Strategy: Context, Concepts and Implications.
Wiley Ed. 2014. Chapter 2 , 3 and 4
• LYMBERSKY, Christ
To analyze the decision-making regarding the generic strategies that a company must
choose in order to define and understand the strategic factors involved in the process
of selecting entry methods and target markets.
Specific objectives:
• To understand what generic strategies are and their implications.
• To understand how companies choose between generic strategies and how to
implement them effectively.
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
• Class Discussion
• Case Studies
Bibliographical references:
COLLIS, David. International Strategy: Context, Concepts and Implications. Wiley Ed.
2014. Chapter 5 and 6.
Kluyver, C. 2010. Fundamentals of Global Strategy: A Business Model Approach.
Business Expert Press.
VI. Exporting
To study exports as a foreign operations method.
Specific objectives:
• To define the concept of exports and its variations.
• To understand the required conditions to undertake export operations.
• To analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this foreign operation method.
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
• Class Discussion
• Case Studies
Bibliographical references:
LYMBERSKY, Christoph. Market Entry Strategies: Text, Cases and Readings in
Market Entry Management. Management Laboratory Text. 2008. Chapter 3 pp 71-78
Welch, Lawrence S., Benito, Gabriel R.G. & Petersen, Bent. 2007, Foreign Operations
Methods. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., Cheltenham, UK. Chapter 8.
VII. Franchising
To study franchising as a foreign operations method.
Specific objectives:
• To define the concep
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
• Class Discussion
• Case Studies
Bibliographical references:
LYMBERSKY, Christoph. Market Entry Strategies: Text, Cases and Readings in
Market Entry Management. Management Laboratory Text. 2008. Chapter 3 pp 154-
199
Welch, Lawrence S., Benito, Gabriel R.G. & Petersen, Bent. 2007, Foreign Operations
Methods, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., Cheltenham, UK.. Chapter 10.
Moosa, I. (2002). Foreign Direct Investment: Theory, Evidence and Practice.
Palgrave Macmillan .
X. Alliances
To study alliances as a foreign operations method.
Specific objectives:
• To define the concept of alliances and its variations.
• To understand the required conditions to undertake alliances.
• To analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this foreign operation method.
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
• Class Discussion
• Case Studies
Bibliographical references:
LYMBERSKY, Christoph. Market Entry Strategies: Text, Cases and Readings in
Market Entry Management. Management Laboratory Text. 2008. Chapter 3 pp 203-
214
Welch, Lawrence S., Benito, Gabriel R.G. & Petersen, Bent. 2007, Foreign Operations
Methods, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., Cheltenham, UK. Chapter 9.
XI. Other Foreign Operation Methods
To study alternative methods to establish foreign operations.
Specific objectives:
• To define the concept of managing contract and its application.
• To define the concept of international subcontracting/sourcing and its
application.
• To define the concept of project operations and its application.
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
• Class Discussion
• Case Studies
Bibliographical references:
LYMBERSKY, Christoph. Market Entry Strategies: Text, Cases and Readings in
Market Entry Management. Management Laboratory Text. 2008. Chapter 3 pp 147-
154
Welch, Lawrence S., Benito, Gabriel R.G. & Petersen, Bent. 2007, Foreign Operations
Methods, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., Cheltenham, UK. Chapters 5,6 &7
XII. Internationalization of Services
To study the particularities of the internationalization process of companies that
provides services.
Specific objectives:
• To identify the main differences between the internationalization of products and
services.
• To analyze the internationalization process of a company in the services sector.
Learning and teaching strategies:
• Lecture
• Class Discussion
• Student’s presentations / workshop
Bibliographical references:
Winch, Graham M.. 2008. “Internationalization Strategies in Business-to-Business
Services: The Case of Architectural Practice. The Service Industries Journal. Vol. 28,
No. 1, January 2008, Pp. 1-13.
Fisk, R.P., Grove, S.J. & John, J. 2008. Interactive Services Marketing. Houghton
Mifflin Company. Boston, NY.
List of cases by topic:
Subject Case
Exporting To be determine
Franchising Subway
Licensing Shark Tank
FDI To be determine
Alliances To be determine
Final Case Ethiopia, an emerging market
opportunity?

4. ASSESSMENT
• FOM Case studies 15%
• FOM Presentation 10%
• Final Case study 15%
• X-Culture Project 30%
• Quiz 10%
• Midterm Exam 20%